Innovative mobile scanning solution

Aviapartner

Aviapartner and Zetes take airport freight handling into the future

If there is one place where time really does mean money, it is at an airport. This is why the Belgian company Aviapartner, the world’s fourth largest ground handler and the market leader in Europe, entrusted its automation project to Zetes. Thanks to its intelligent mobile scanning solution and state-of-the-art backend system, Aviapartner has fully automated the counting, distribution and localisation processes for all of its baggage and freight handling.

Up to €10,000 per minute

The unusually high penalties associated with delays and strict security guidelines means that efficiency and precision are of the utmost importance in an airport environment. Indeed, studies have shown that in extreme cases, the cost of just 1 minute’s delay can be as high as €10,000. Given that Aviapartner handles 29.3 million passengers, 269,000 aircrafts and 1.5 million tonnes of freight every year, the company was in urgent need of an efficient and effective way to automate the counting procedure for its handling services.

One-Stop shop

According to Aviapartner, Zetes’ market leadership, proven track record and its ability to handle the entire Auto-ID process from development to implementation made it an obvious choice. Zetes’ “one-stop shop” solution includes:

intelligent mobile scanners and label printers

seamless integration with Aviapartner’s ERP system

fast, secure wireless transmissions in an AS400 environment

internal implementation including staff training

full automation of the counting procedure

flawless verification and distribution from warehouse to aircraft

significant improvements in customer service and satisfaction

No baggage without a passenger

The airline environment is complicated by strict regulations which require unaccompanied baggage to be removed from the aircraft as quickly as possible. Thanks to the new system, Aviapartner can trace unaccompanied baggage very quickly, which is an important service for airlines given the extremely narrow timeslots in which they operate. In fact, Aviapartner and its customers are so happy with the new technology that it has been rolled out at every airport in which Aviapartner is active across Europe. Zetes’ innovative approach has also been recognised by an IWT technology innovation award in Flanders.